The Virginia Saltwater Review, Vol.14, #12

Overview

The Mid-Atlantic Council/Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Flounder Plan mandated that all states reduce their recreational flounder catch by 40% for the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Anglers are reminded that part of Virginia's 40% reduction in the recreational flounder catch for the 2000 season requires a 9-day closure during the summer. The flounder closure runs from Monday, July 24 through Tuesday, August 1.

This is a reminder of "non-closed period." For the past two years, sea bass have been off limits to recreational anglers during the first two weeks of August. However, after reviewing two years worth of data (catches from north of Cape Hatteras, NC to Maine) it was determined that the 10-inch size limit had produced an adequate reduction in the recreational sea bass catch and the closed period has been lifted. Therefore, there will be no closed season for black sea bass in 2000 for recreational anglers. As a side note, the commercial fishery is managed by a separate quota, which is divided into quarters and each quarter has a specified possession limit. When and if the coastwide commercial quota is reached during a quarter, the commercial industry (all holders of federal permits) are contacted that the fishery will be closed until the start of the next quarter. The commercial fishery also operates under a 10-inch minimum size limit plus assorted gear and area restrictions.

Bluefin tuna are moving through Virginia's coastal waters, as tuna weighing to well over 100 pounds were boated the past week. The current retention limits for bluefin tuna will change July 30, 2000. Before your next outing, make sure you know the Federal regulations. A copy of the current regulations are enclosed.

Flounder remain the fish of the hour--both because of the strong showing of citation-sized flatfish and the fact the season will close for nine days starting July 24.

Cobia remain available but have scattered from their early summer haunts. Some reports indicate cobia have begun to show on the buoy lines but not everyo ne who has "buoy-hopped" would agree.

Chincoteague

Donna from Captain Bob's reported the bluefin tuna bite remains strong at the Parking Lot and over the lumpy bottom. Most boats are chunking with butterfish for the larger size tuna. Heaviest brought to the dock the past week was a 121- pound bluefin aboard the KAT ATTACK while the crew aboard the TIDERUNNER had a 116 pounder. Inside the inlet, decent numbers of 17 to 22-inch flounder were caught at Four Mouths but croaker dominate at most locations.

R & R Boat Rental said croaker were hitting along most of the main channel and the mouth of Queens Sound while flounder to 4 1/4 pounds were boated at Black Narrows the past week.

Barnacle Bill's said croaker to nearly 3 pounds were "biting like wild-fire" at Queens Sound, where catches include sea mullet, snapper blues and a few flounder. "Flounder catches are off because of all the croaker," noted the shop. Outside the inlet, a huge mako was reportedly taken inside three miles by a commercial gill fishermen. Tuna are biting at the lumpy bottom, as bluefin, yellowfin and even a few bigeye were caught last week.

Wachapreague

Henry from Wachapreague Marina reported chunkers and trollers caught big bluefin and yellowfin tuna at the 21 and 26 Mile hills and further out, at the lumpy bottom. Heaviest tuna of the week was a 130-pound bluefin caught by Tom Hicknott. The crew on the WIRED landed a 99-pound bluefin on Sunday. Ryan Massey released a pair of 48-inch bluefin aboard the HOBO and Guy Pruitt had a 75-pound yellowfin. Inshore, croaker dominate the catches but some flounder were caught--mainly at the mouth of the inlet, in the deeper portion of the channel.

Capt. Zed's told of good tuna action from the 21 Mile Hill and east to the 20 fathom finger. Heaviest bluefin checked-in the past week was Steven Turell's 112 pounder, which was boated at the 20 fathom finger. Inside the inlet, "the croaker have taken over," according to the tackle shop.

Cape Charles

Chris' Bait and Tackle Shop had a stack of flounder citations from the weekend and most were caught between the Cell and buoy 42A. Phillip Juhring's 9-10 flounder was the biggest from the Cell and the same trip produced a 7-2 flatfish for Steve Juhring. Dennis Register also had a 7 pounder, Jim Dixon a 6 1/2 pounder and Tom Hastings a 7 3/4 pound flounder. Fred Clements scored a 3-1 croaker at the Cell. Karl Hippenspell decked an 8-6 flounder just outside the Cement Ships. Other citation-winning catches include a 47-inch red drum release by Joe Aben at buoy 16, where Wayland Pond (49 1/2 inches) and Richard Savage (48 1/2 inches) each released cobia. David Bumgardner had the lone weight citation for cobia last week--a 61 1/2 pounder from buoy 13. Out of the seaside port of Oyster, fishing partners Christian Seay (90 inches) and Scott Rittenhouse (72 inches) each released big shark.

Onancock

Captain Wil Laaksonen from Fish and Finn Charters reported excellent bottom fishing for croaker, spot and pan trout. Other catches include hogfish, snapper blues and flounder to nearly 6 pounds. Squid, bloodworm and peeler crab are favored baits but "cut spot is about the best," according to Captain Wil.

Lower Bay/Bridge Tunnel

Cobbs Marina reported good catches of spadefish at the Tower Reef, flounder on the bayside of the Third and Fourth islands plus some tautog and cobia. Croaker remain available at most locations.

Bubba's Marina told of cobia at Latimer Shoals, the Inner Middle Grounds and the Bluefish Rock area. Flounder action was good at many spots along the CBBT complex. Trout remain available along the CBBT but their numbers have dwindled the past several weeks and large croaker are often caught in the usual "trout holes."

Dr. Jim Wright fished an ocean wreck out of Ocracoke last week, catching a mixture of sea bass, red snapper and triggerfish. Several good-sized grouper were hooked but each time the fish was able to escape back into the wreck. On returning to home waters, Dr. Jim described the flounder bite as "excellent" around the Cape Henry Wreck and "real good" at the Fingers for big bluefin tuna.

Donnie Wallace from Wallace's Marina registered 14 citation cobia the past week, including twin 72 1/2 pounders from Bluefish Rock for Justin Scott and Aaron Tatem. Good catches of flounder were recorded at Back River Reef, where some croaker and sea mullet were also reported. A mixture of taylor bluefish, puppy drum, speckled trout and school stripers remain available on Poquoson Flats but no single species is abundant. Customers returned from the CBBT with some large spadefish but Donnie heard of better catches around the Tower Reef.

Johnny at Sunset Marina told of good catches of flounder at the Third Island, where Jeff Duncan boated flatfish to 5 pounds and Steve Edwards and his partner caught a limit of flounder to 5 1/2 pounds. Waters off Fort Wool continue to produce limit catches of weakfish (4 fish of 12 inches or more) and coolers full of croaker.

Allen Vansse from Vanasse Bait and Tackle said his customers told of limit catches of flounder from the hump and a mixture of croaker, spot, flounder and pan trout off Factory Point but "it was a slow week for cobia." Speckled trout are holding around the mouth of Back River and just inside.

Chuck Ash at A & S Feed and Bait Supply said waters around York Spit produced good catches of cobia over the weekend, with most of the fish in the 20 to 30-pound range. Croaker were still biting "fast and furious" inside the York River, with the deeper holes holding the best concentrations of larger fish plus a few pan trout and spot. Flounder are reasonably abundant from the Gloucester Point area to York Spit but many are under the 15 1/2-inch minimum size limit. Folks fishing from the Gloucester Point Pier reported good catches of mostly croaker plus some spot and flounder the past week.

Members of the Peninsula Anglers Club reported croaker and flounder at Back River Reef, "horse" croaker in the York River near the Coast Guard Pier, bluefin tuna to 150 pounds at the Fingers and a mixture of croaker, snapper blues, sea bass, flounder and pan trout at the CBBT.

Virginia Middle Bay

Roger Wilkins from Jetts Hardware reported the waters between buoy 42A and the Cell was good to excellent for flounder and croaker, though Roger rated the trout bite at Smith Point Light as the "big seller" for the past week. Croaker remain reasonably abundant throughout local waters but smaller fish are generally the rule during daylight hours. Reasonable numbers of spot were reported inside the Great Wicomico River and off Dividing Creek. Roger rated the Spanish mackerel bite as "sporadic."

Dan from Smith Point Marina told of limit catches of weakfish with some trout nearing 7 pounds. Favored locations were the Smith Point Light, the SP buoy, Blackberry Hang and the Smith Point jetty. The croaker bite slowed--"not as many and the fish are smaller," according to Don. Decent hauls are still made early in the morning and after dark. Boats running into Maryland waters are returning with limit catches of school stripers and the occasional bluefish. Trollers report mixed success on Spanish mackerel and snapper blues.

Locklies Marina described the flounder action at buoy 42A as "real good," as Joe Collins checked-in an 8-15 and 28-inch flatfish. Catches closer to the marina include decent hauls of croaker to 19 inches and a scattering of medium to large spot at Parrots Island.

Garretts Marina said a mixture of croaker, spot, pan trout and white perch were biting near the marina at buoy 19.

Captain Jim Thompson at Windmill Point Marina said medium to large spot and small to medium croaker were holding at Sturgeon Bar while more and larger croaker but fewer spot were found from Windmill Point and out to the 2R buoy. The Corn House, located off the Piankatank, produced a steady bite of both croaker and spot the past week. Out in the mainstem of the Bay, Captain Jim described the flounder action as "super" at the Cell, where most flatfish ran 20 to 24 inches. Schools of 14 to 20-inch trout and the ever present croaker, are scattered from the Cell, up to the Maryland border.

Virginia Beach

The headboat fleet sailing from the Virginia Beach Fishing Center concentrated their fishing efforts around the mouth of the Bay the past week, catching a mixture of mostly trout and croaker plus a few bluefish and flounder, as wreckfishing for sea bass has become characteristically slow during the mid-summer. The charter fleet continues to target bluefin tuna at the Fingers, where fair numbers of school-sized king mackerel are also reported. Many of the bluefin have been citation-size--48 inches for release and 100 pounds for weigh-ins. Inshore, several charters ran spadefish trips the past week and reported good success.

Fisherman's Wharf Marina said the bluefin bite at the Fingers has been very consistent and many of the tuna top 100 pounds. Most of the charter craft are pulling large rigged ballyhoo for the bluefin, rather than the traditional cedar plugs. School-sized king mackerel are reasonably abundant and often nip baits just behind the hook. Yellowfin tuna and dolphin have been scarce.

Virginia Piers

James River - Croaker continue to dominate the catches but some medium spot, snapper bluefish, pan trout and the occasional keeper flounder are reported.

Grandview - Bottom fishermen caught a mixture of small to medium croaker, hand-sized spot, snapper blues, flounder and several sea robins. A 33-inch cobia was caught and released on Sunday.

Buckroe Beach -Pompano were the surprise catch of the week, as several nice sized fish were decked the past few days. Flounder provided the most consistent daytime action with pan trout, croaker and small sharks becoming active after dark. Several small cobia were caught but no "keepers" in recent days.

Harrison - Charlie said spot and croaker "have really come on," in the past few days. Early in the week, cobia of 38 and 44 pounds were decked. A flounder of over 8 pounds was caught from a boat drifting within casting distance of the pier.

Lynnhaven - There were several decent runs of spot over the past weekend, according to the pier spokesman, complimenting fair numbers of sea mullet. However, as SW winds began to prevail, the bite slowed. Spanish mackerel and snapper blues have been showing just before dusk whenever clear water conditions prevail, as an especially strong bite occurred Sunday evening.

Virginia Beach - Spot and sea mullet have provided decent action the past several days--especially whenever the wind shifts to the east. A few pan trout and bluefish were also reported. Water temperature at pierside was 73 degrees on Tuesday.

Sandbridge - Catches of croaker, sea mullet, small flounder, spot, Spanish mackerel and even a few spadefish were reported but none of the species were abundant.

Outer Banks, NC

"Its typical summertime fishing," along the Nags Head area beaches according to Bill MaCaskill at Whalebone Tackle. Catches include croaker, spot, sea mullet, pan trout, snapper blues and even a few pompano and keeper flounder. Casters working the ends of the piers "early and late" in the day are catching Spanish mackerel and bluefish on Stingsilvers and Gotcha plugs. For beach fishermen, the best opportunity to score on the mackerel is Cape Point at Buxton with first light prime time. Sheepshead are holding around many of the pilings of the Outer Banks piers, the Oregon Inlet Bridge and the crossing to Manteo. Puppy drum measuring up to 32 inches were caught from both sides of Oregon Inlet by shorebound anglers.

Offshore, the Oregon Inlet fleet found fewer tuna the past week but dolphin action was rated "fair to good." A few wahoo, king mackerel and billfish are caught each day on the offshore grounds. Inshore, Spanish mackerel action was rated "excellent" around the inlet with fair numbers of snapper bluefish complementing the daily take.

The fleet sailing from Hatteras Inlet has been loading up on dolphin. Most of the dolphin are "bailers" but a few "gaffers" are mixed in with the smaller fish. A few yellowfin tuna are being caught and most are good size, in the 50 to 60-pound range. Big wahoo remain a possibility. On Saturday, Gary Berger of Chester, VA decked a 54-pound wahoo aboard the CITATION and on Sunday, Catherine Chase of Falls Church, VA boated a 40 pounder aboard SUNDOWN. Billfish numbers are starting to increase. The inshore wrecks are holding good numbers of 20 to 40-pound amberjack plus some triggerfish, sea bass and snapper. Trollers working near the inlet are reporting good hauls of Spanish mackerel and snapper bluefish.

Posted: 7-27-2000